Pokemon: Black
by Jengo
Summary: A dark look at the classic Pokemon story.
1. Chapter 1

Pokemon: Black  
by: Jengo  
(c)2005

**Chapter One**

"Kirk, Kirk, wake up, honey, your dad's on the phone," said a voice next to my bed. I looked up and my mom was holding a phone in her outstretched hand inches from my face. With a sigh I pulled away my blankets and sat up taking hold of the phone. As I rested my elbows on my knees, raised the phone to my ear, and emitted a groggy, "Hello?" as I looked to the floor. I heard no reply. He must have hung up. As I held the phone away from my face, I gazed into the phone as if it had just insulted me. "Maybe he was disconnected, Kirk, you know how those people at the Pokephone company are," said my mother in my father's defense. I replied with a scoff and ran my fingers through my long jet black hair.

"You know, Kirk, maybe you should visit your father down in Stonemanor, I'm sure he'd like to see you," stated my mother. "Sure, he'll get me down there and laugh at how weak Eevee is again, I know how he is," I replied. "He's so arrogant sometimes, it really gets me going." My mother sat down on the bed next to me. "Honey, I'm sure he just wants to see how well you've been training Eevee," she remarked. To that I stood up and grabbed the solitary Pokeball on my dresser. I placed it in it's holder on my hip as I grabbed my black trench coat. "Maybe you're right mom." I threw my trench coat around my back, placing both arms into their corresponding sleeves. "Eevee and I are going out." I walked to the door and placed my feet in my boots. They were old, ratty, black boots my father had given me years ago for some occasion. I laced them up and bid my mom farewell.

On the way down the stairs my mother stopped me. "Kirk, wait! Before you leave, I'd like you to have this." I stopped and looked over to my mom who was digging in the hallway cabinet drawer. "Ah! Here it is," my mother exclaimed. "Your father's old Pokedex. With this you can record the Pokemon you catch and gather information about each one," she explained. "Thanks" I said as I took the Pokedex, placed it in my pants pocket and continued down the stairs. When I reached the bottom I grabbed my pack which was propped up against the wall next to the door. Inside I found some potions my mother had obviously put there the night before. "I haven't been training in weeks and still she acts like I've been doing it my whole life." I zipped back up my pack and threw it over my shoulder as I opened the door and made my way outside.

It was dark outside. But then again, it was always dark outside. The elders spoke of an ancient Pokemon that cast a shadow over the entire world, causing chaos and disorder. The tales also told of a brave hero who calmed the chaos, however, the light never returned, nor did the brave hero. THOCK! The Pokeball at my waist containing Eevee suddenly sprang open. The red bolt of electricity shot out nearly ten feet in front of me. When the dust settled, Eevee was standing emitting his usual "Eevee" call. "What's wrong, Eevee, don't like your ball?" I asked. "Eevee, eee, vee!" screeched Eevee. I could tell he was frustrated. "Alright, man, you don't have to stay in that ball." I let out a small chuckle. "You and I are quite the pair, Eevee. Together we can show my dad that I'm not just a grunt, but the world's greatest trainer in the making!" Eevee let out a cry of affirmation. I laughed and we started to walk through the town of Thickweed.

As I walked off of my property into the center of the town, a voice came from the house next door. "Kirk, come here!" Taken aback by the sudden order, I made my way over to the house with Eevee by my side. When I reached the front door, my neighbor Anna was in the doorway. "Kirk, help please, I don't know what's happening." She led me inside her home. I heard a distant roaring coming from the second floor. She led me up the hardwood staircase and down the hallway into her room. The moaning was getting much louder and as we approached her room it was shockingly apparent that the ferocious roaring was coming from there. She opened the door and immediately I was presented to a blinding, flashing light emitting from her star Pokemon, Growlithe. Growlithe was on the ground writhing and growling as though he were being ripped apart by some phantom being. The flashes got brighter and faster and suddenly and explosion filled the room and shattered our eardrums.

When the smoke cleared, Growlithe was gone. However, in his place, a larger and much more intimidating creature was passed out on the floor. I heard a faint tone emitting from my backpack. Startled by the noise, I reached around and took off my backpack. Placing it on Anna's desk on my left and attempting to take my eyes away from the creature, I reached into my backpack and found the source of the noise. It was my father's Pokedex. I opened it up immediately and as the tone stopped, I was greeted by an electronic voice. As it spoke I looked down at the creature, it wasn't moving.

"Arcanine, the evolved form of Growlithe. It is admired for its beauty and agile movements. It has razor-sharp teeth and a ferocious roar that scares away small Pokemon." Suddenly Anna spoke, "Evolved form? Did… did my little Growlithe evolve?" "It would appear so… but is a Pokemon supposed to pass out like that when it evolves," I questioned. "I don't know," answered Anna. "Growl--… I mean… Arcanine? Are you alright?" The creature didn't respond. "Arcanine, wake up!" Anna screamed. She got down on her knees and placed her hand on the creature's face. She brought her face close and spoke. "Please, get up!" She began to cry as she spoke to the unresponsive Arcanine. "Arcanine, please… please get up."

Slowly, Arcanine began to breathe. A glimmer of happiness shined in Anna's eyes as the creature's breath blew the hair on her face. Arcanine's eyes slowly opened. Anna's eyes lit up like stars. "Arcanine, you're okay!" Arcanine roared and quickly rose to his feet. Anna gasped in fear and spoke. "Arcanine, what's wrong?" Arcanine roared even louder and opened his mouth bearing large teeth, dripping with gelatinous drool. "Arcanine," said Anna in fear. Suddenly, Arcanine attacked Anna, grasping her left hand in his teeth. Anna screamed as she attempted to get up and run. Arcanine's grip was unyielding. He quickly jerked his head to the right, throwing Anna against the wall. I was in shock. I could not believe what I was seeing. My neighbor was being attacked by the best friend she had ever had. While Anna lay unconscious on the ground and I paralyzed by shock, Arcanine began to tear at Anna's body.

When the growling and tearing was over, Arcanine raised his head and turned towards me. I stuttered in fear. "Vee!" screamed Eevee, standing to my right, narrowing his eyes and bearing his teeth. "Eevee, no!" I screamed as I looked down at him. "Vee, eevee," he screamed as he looked up at me. He was attempting to scare away the Arcanine, however I knew it would never work. "Eevee, don't get us hurt with your bravery!" Quickly, in a flash of light, Eevee ran up and plunged into Arcanine's side, knocking him off of his footing. "Eevee, what are you doing?" I questioned as Eevee backed up ready to charge with his Quick Attack again. "Vee!" he screamed as with another flash, he head-butted Arcanine with his Quick Attack. Arcanine regained his footing and pawed at the ground, snarling at Eevee as he pawed. "Eevee, do you know what you're doing?" I asked. "Eevee, vee, vee," said Eevee in a reassuring tone. Eevee turned back to Arcanine and mimicked his movements; pawing the ground and snarling ferociously. Arcanine let out a gut-wrenching roar that threw off Eevee entirely. "Eevee, come on, you can do this, focus," I said boosting Eevee's morale.

Eevee called affirmatively and stared down Arcanine. Eevee charged. Arcanine growled and as he did so, he let out a stream of fiery embers that scorched Eevee and sent him to the ground. "Eevee!" I screamed out in fear. Eevee was on the ground and Arcanine was slowly approaching for the kill. "Back off you bastard!" I yelled as I reached into my backpack and took hold of the knife I had packed. I pointed the knife at Arcanine and screamed again. "Back the Hell off, you bastard! You're not hurting Eevee!" Arcanine growled and let out a stream of embers in my direction. I grabbed my pack and dove out of the way. I reached into the pack and grabbed a potion. I aimed it and sprayed it at Eevee. Suddenly, Eevee rose to his feet and bit Arcanine's underbelly, breaking the skin and pouring Arcanine's blood onto the floor. Arcanine screamed as mass amounts of blood streamed out of his stomach. Eevee ripped at Arcanine a second time, this time tearing through and spilling Arcanine's innards onto the floor. Arcanine fell with a loud roar and began to twitch.

I called Eevee off and rose to my feet. I looked down at Arcanine. He was choking on his last few breaths. I stood over him, knife in hand, hyperventilating with anger. "Nobody… human or Pokemon… tries to hurt my Eevee." With that said I took my knife and plunged it into the right eye of the fallen Arcanine. I pushed it as far in as my adrenaline would fuel my muscles to go. As I pulled it out, a spurt of blood hit my chin. I spat what little blood that got into my mouth on the floor next to Arcanine's corpse. I looked down at Eevee, which despite his scorched fur, looked as brave as ever. I had never been so proud of him in my entire lifetime of knowing him. "You're a feisty one, Eevee." I laughed. Eevee flashed me a smile and let out a loving call, "Vee."

Eevee and I walked over to where Anna had been disemboweled. Eevee winced as he laid his eyes on the sight. I, however, could not look away. The destruction was simply unbelievable. How could this creature do this to his owner who had shown it nothing but love and compassion? A solitary tear trickled down my face as I bid a fond farewell to my departed friend and the best Pokemon trainer I had ever known. I reached down and patted Eevee's head. He had his face buried in some laundry Anna had left on the floor. "Come on, Eevee, we should go." Eevee looked up but did not follow me. I got to the door before I noticed this and looked back. Eevee was softly weeping.

"Eevee, you did all you could do. Neither of us could have saved her." I pulled the right side of my trench coat away and reached into my side pocket. I pulled out a cookie that I had swiped from my mom's baking sheet the night before and knelt down. "Here, bro, take this, it'll make you feel better." I dropped the cookie on the floor and sat down. Eevee walked over and sat in my lap, completely ignoring the cookie. Tears were soaking the bristly fur around his eyes and nose. I fought back the tears welling up in my eyes and reached for the cookie. "Come on, man, let's at least eat the cookie. You wouldn't want me to tell mom that you passed on one of her homemade cookies. It's Nana's recipe you know?" I let out a small laugh as Eevee looked up and smiled. "There you go, that's the Eevee I know." I broke the cookie in half and gave one piece to Eevee, which he consumed in one bite. I placed the other half in my pocket. "Come on, Eevee, let's get out of here and start down the road." I took Eevee and placed him on the floor next to me as I stood up. We both walked towards the door with heavy hearts.

On the way out the door I spotted a map of the region on Anna's desk. I decided that I would fold it up and take it along with us. It would be a memento to remember Anna by as well as an aid in our journey. I looked back over at Anna and bid one last farewell as I left. Eevee had walked on ahead and was already starting down the stairs when I finished zipping up my pack after I had placed the map inside. "Wait up, man." I caught up to Eevee. "I'm beginning to think that you're more excited about our training than Mom is." Eevee let out a call and continued walking by my side. When we went outside, I decided that we had better look at the map before we start walking out of the town. Eevee seemed to grow impatient as he was walking in small little circles. "Chill, bro," I said as I looked at the map. I reached into my pocket, still looking at the map and grabbed the other half of the cookie. "Here, man, munch on this while I find a good route to Stonemanor." I lowered my hand and had Eevee take the cookie from my fingers. I could hear Eevee crunching the cookie as I studied the map. "Alright, Eevee, we need to go up route one, which is right past those trees over there" I said as I pointed past my house to the path leading through the woods that encircled our town. Eevee let out a call of affirmation and was already beginning to walk towards the path. "Slow down, slick." I called to Eevee, "It's a long journey and I don't want you using up all of your energy before you even fight another Pokemon." Eevee smiled and slowed his pace enough for me to catch up. "Spaz" I laughed as I lovingly kicked him in the side.

We left our small town of Thickweed en route to Stonemanor. As I looked at the map, it appeared that we would have to pass through the town of Silverburg. "Alright, Eevee, it looks like we're headed to the city of Silverburg." "Vee?" questioned Eevee. "I don't know, Eevee, I think it's where Mom goes to shop. I've never been there." Eevee and I continued down the path. This was just the beginning and I had already seen my best friend killed by her own Pokemon. I was beginning to fear that the road to victory would be a long and arduous one. I looked down at Eevee who seemed to have no problem with the eminent dangers that lay ahead and smiled. I looked down the path that was lined with tall grasses and filled with the sounds of wild Pokemon. Suddenly, I heard a rustling in the grasses to my right. I looked over but saw nothing. I looked down to Eevee who had apparently heard the same disturbance I had heard. I looked back down the path and started to walk. "Stop right there, grommet," came a voice from behind me. A boy stood behind me wielding a Pokeball in his right hand. "You walk these roads; you take the challenges given to you. Now let's go, punk," said the challenger. "Whatever, man, we're going to Silverburg, leave us alone." I responded. "Go! Ratatta!" he screamed from behind us. THOCK went his Pokeball as the red beam came out revealing a small rat-like Pokemon. My Pokedex emitted the same tone heard in Anna's bedroom. I whipped it out and opened it. "Ratatta. A small rat Pokemon. Its razor sharp incisors prove a worth adversary for any Pokemon. Its tail is used as a whip to lower a Pokemon's defense." "Hmm," I thought, "this shouldn't be too hard for Eevee. Alright, pal, you've got yourself a challenge." My first of many Pokemon battles had begun.

-- End of Chapter One --


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Alright, buddy, let's see if your weak little Eevee can withstand my mighty Ratatta's lightning-fast attacks!" said the challenger confidently. "We'll see" I replied. I pulled aside the right side of my trench coat and took out my knife. I spiked it into the dirt and sat down behind it folding my hands in front of my face. "Alright, then, let's go." The challenger shouted a command at his Ratatta. "…Rip him up, Eevee" I said softly. Eevee quickly used his Tackle attack to push the approaching Ratatta back. "Ratatta, Hyper Fang, now!" the trainer screamed at the top of his lungs. "…Eevee… Tail Whip." As the Ratatta approached bearing his fangs, Eevee waited until the last second to quickly turn and slap the Ratatta in the face with his tail. The Ratatta fell to the ground. The trainer scolded his Pokemon, "Ratatta, get up, you slob, you're not going to lose to this wimpy Pokemon!" I stood up with cat-like reflexes, grabbed my knife and threw it at the opposing trainer's feet. It landed in the soil an inch from his left foot with a metallic "SHINK." The trainer stepped back with a gasp. "Watch what you say about my Eevee," I commanded. "Ye-ye-ye-yes, sir" stuttered the frightened trainer. He bent down to pick up my knife impaled in the ground next to him. "And don't touch my knife!" I yelled across to him. He quickly put his hands in his pockets and backed off of the knife. "Eevee, Quick Attack." I commanded softly as I sat down again, folding my hands in front of my face. With a flash of speed, Eevee crashed into the fallen Ratatta sending him smashing into a nearby tree trunk. The trainer rushed to his wounded Pokemon. "Ratatta… what did that Eevee do to you?" questioned the trainer, his voice starting to break. I slowly got up and grabbed my knife from the ground. I wiped it off on my coat and placed it back in my right pants pocket. "You killed my Ratatta, you bastard!" screamed the trainer in agony. I motioned Eevee to my side, leaned down and patted him on the head as I walked past completely ignoring the cries of the defeated trainer.

Eevee and I walked down the path through the woods of Route One, the trainer's faint screams still crying out behind us. I looked down at him as he looked up at me and I smiled. He was so full of a light and exuberance I had never seen in him before. I looked forward down the path and suddenly became angry. I was thinking of my father and the way he never accepted Eevee as a true Pokemon. He wasn't too keen on the idea of having Pokemon as friends. That's part of the reason he left my mother alone with me in that small house in Thickweed. I was starting to scowl and Eevee noticed this. "Vee?" he called. I quickly snapped out of my angry trance-like state and looked down at Eevee. "Sorry, bro, my mind was kind of wandering there for a second. You were amazing back there, how did you learn to fight like that?" He just smiled and kept walking. "Well, the map here says that there's a gym in Silverburg. Think you're up for that, bro?" Eevee responded excitedly, "Vee!" I laughed and walked down the path, the city's skyline in view on the horizon.

We stopped at the top of a hill and looked out towards Silverburg's majestic skyline. "See that, Eevee?" I said looking down at him, "That's just the beginning of our journey. First Silverburg, then my father." Eevee growled when I mentioned my father. Eevee didn't much care for my father for the same reasons that I didn't. That's probably why we get along so well, Eevee and me. It started to rain. The rain made loud resonating sounds against my trench coat and I could tell Eevee didn't care too much for it. "Alright, bro, let's see what this town has to offer and get out of this rain." Eevee looked up at me and called, "Ee vee!" He started running off down the short stretch of path towards Silverburg with as I gave chase behind him, my trench coat noisily flapping in the wind.

By the time we approached the gates, it was pouring and both Eevee and I were dripping wet. We were greeted by a man wearing imperial garb pointing a pole arm at us. He waved the pole arm at us as he spoke through his drenched beard, "What do you all think you're doing just walking into our fine town?" Eevee softly growled at the guard. I placed my hands in my pocket slowly taking hold of my knife. I spoke through my hair which was hanging in front of my face, dripping with rain, "We'd like to get out of the rain and challenge your city's gym leader." The guard responded with a hearty laugh as he removed his pole arm from in front of us. I eased my grip on my knife. "You think you and your little Pokemon have what it takes to take on our city's gym leader?" questioned the guard. My grip on my knife tightened as I responded tersely, "Yes, we'd like to try." The guard laughed again as he opened the gate. "Nobody has ever defeated Ken, and I'd be amazed if you and your scrawny Pokemon were to be the first." I caught the guard off-guard as I grabbed him by his collar. He dropped his pole arm as pulled my knife from my pocket and plunged it into his side. He dropped my feet, his head resting on my boots. I quickly kicked him to the side as I motioned Eevee to follow me into the city.

Eevee and I found a building nearby and opened the door as we walked inside. Eevee shook vigorously to get the rain off of his brown and white fur as I ran my hand through my hair moving it off of my face. A voice spoke, "Welcome to Silverburg Pokemon Center!" I looked up at the source of the voice. A woman was standing behind a counter directly in front of me. I trudged to the counter, my boots making heavy, wet, clomping noises as I walked. I reached the counter with Eevee by my side and looked up at the nurse, water dripping from my hairline down my nose. "How's it going?" I grumbled. "Well!" she responded, "However, I don't like the looks of your Pokemon, there. I reached back into my pocket slowly and took hold of my knife as I begged her pardon. "Your Eevee there looks like he could use some rest. We could clean him up and have him to you in a matter of moments." I smiled as I took my hand off my knife and out of my pocket. "That sounds great," I replied. I looked down at Eevee who was, despite his shake off, still creating puddles on the Pokemon Center floor. "What do you say, bro? You want a little wipe down before your big fight?" Eevee called affirmatively and I picked him up and handed him to the nurse. "Ah, you're going to challenge Ken, I take it?" she asked. "Yes ma'am" I answered in a confident tone. "Well," she began, "good luck. You know, nobody's ever beaten Ken before." She left to the back to clean up Eevee. I smiled and sat down in a seat to the right of the counter where I waited for the nurse to finish with Eevee. A figure came from my right and sat down beside me. In a high pitched voice the figure spoke. "Ooh, who are you?" I looked over at the figure. It was a little girl no older than ten. I looked at her and spoke stoically, "I'm a Pokemon trainer." She smiled, "Oh, so that was your Eevee that the woman was wiping off?" I looked back over to her and responded, "Yeah, it was." She laughed, "He's cute! Are you going to take on Ken with him?" Her happiness and upbeat attitude were sickening me. "Hey, could you leave me alone?" I replied dismissingly. I couldn't believe that I just killed a man not five minutes ago. Her smile faded and a look of fear overcame her. "Sorry, mister," she said with tears welling up in her eyes.

I looked towards the counter where the nurse was returning with a bundle of blankets out of which popped Eevee's smiling face. "He's all dry," said the nurse with a smile as she handed Eevee to me, "If I could only say the same for you." I looked up from the bundle and flashed her a smile. "Don't worry about me," I said as I looked back down at Eevee bouncing him in my arms. "So, Eevee, have fun with your little girlfriend?" I joked. The nurse smiled. "Thank you…?" I said to the nurse hinting for a clue to her name. "Rachel," she said with a smile extending her hand, "and your name?" I shook her hand as I replied, "Kirk. Sorry, my hand's a little wet." She smiled at me for a few seconds then looked down towards Eevee, "You just come to me if you're ever hurt or tired, okay, Eevee?" Eevee called happily. The nurse giggled at Eevee and patted him on the head. "Stay safe, you two." I thanked Rachel again, placed Eevee on the floor and walked towards the door to leave.

When I walked outside, the rain was still coming down with force. We saw off in the distance a large building with a sign out front. Eevee and I walked over to the sign and examined it. "Silverburg Pokemon Gym. Leader: Ken" I looked down at Eevee who seemed to be a slight bit frightened. "Don't be nervous, Eevee, you'll rip 'em up." I reassured him. Eevee smiled as I opened the doors to the gym and motioned him inside. Once we entered the gym, the thick doors slammed behind us, sending an echo through the pitch-dark gym. An echoing voice called from somewhere near the back. "Welcome my friends." We stood motionless as the water from our bodies dripped onto the ground with slow echoing taps. "We're here to challenge the gym leader!" I shouted into the darkness. "Very well." echoed the voice. Suddenly the gym became illuminated with candles that seemed to spontaneously catch. The walls were black stone, covered in cob webs and candle fixtures. At the center was what seemed to be a battleground for the gym's Pokemon battles. The ground was black marble, with web-like streaks of white coursing through. I walked with Eevee towards the center of the gym where the dark figure was standing. I stood at one end of the battleground staring to the other side, my hair pressed to my face with moisture. The candlelight was the only illumination for the enormous gym. "So," echoed the voice, "you're fighting me today with one Pokemon, I see?" I looked down at Eevee and then back across the gym floor. "Yes," I responded, "and I shall not lose." The figure at the other end of the gym floor clapped his hands, which sent an echo from wall to wall. Suddenly a bolt of electricity came through the center of the gym's floor shooting into the ceiling. The entire ceiling lit up shining light throughout the gym. The figure was now visible from my position. "Then I shall welcome you, challenger, to Silverburg's Pokemon Gym," began the figure. "I am Ken, the gym's leader. I am a master of electric Pokemon. I noticed you got a jolt out of my little luminescence display earlier. Let's see if I can give the same jolt to your Pokemon." I removed my knife from my pocket and spiked it into the ground. I sat on the ground and looked over at Eevee. He looked over at me just waiting for my command. "Let her rip, bro." I whispered to Eevee. "For my Pokemon, I choose Pikachu!" said Ken with a raised voice. "Get him, Eevee!" I yelled from my seat on the floor. The two Pokemon headed towards the center of the ring, only focused on the movements of the other.

My Pokedex went off in my pack. I reached around and pulled it out as the two Pokemon kept pacing back in forth staring at each other. The Pokedex spoke, "Pikachu, an electric Pokemon. It stores electricity in receptors located on its cheeks and releases it in mass quantities." I closed the Pokedex and placed it back in my pack. "Pikachu," called Ken from the other end of the floor, "Thundershock attack, now!" As Pikachu charged his electricity, I called out to Eevee, "Eevee, don't let that rat hit you, use your Quick Attack!" Pikachu let out bolt after bolt of electricity each nimbly dodged by Eevee's quick attack. "Eevee, Tackle!" Eevee was still running from his Quick Attack when I gave the order, he plunged his head into Pikachu's stomach sending him flying back a few feet from where Ken was standing. Dazed from the contact, Eevee took a few steps to the side and regained composure as Pikachu stood up.

"Pikachu," called Ken, "give this punk's pup a taste of his own bitter medicine. Quick Attack, now!" Pikachu ran full speed towards Eevee and plowed into him sending him stumbling to the side. "Eevee, Bite that son of a bitch!" Eevee growled, bearing his teeth and ran at his foe. "Pikachu, Thundershock!" ordered Ken to his Pikachu. Eevee took grasp of Pikachu's right arm before he could execute his attack. Eevee trashed and growled as he ripped Pikachu's arm with his teeth. "That's enough, Eevee, let him go then take him down with your Tackle!" I said with a raised voice. Eevee let go of Pikachu and immediately dove onto Pikachu, tackling him to the ground. Eevee commenced in biting at Pikachu's neck, sending spurts of blood onto the gym floor. By the time Pikachu kicked Eevee off of him, there was a small puddle of his blood on the ground. "Thundershock, you dumb rat!" called Ken angrily. "Eevee, Tackle him again!" Pikachu charged up for his attack as Eevee ran head first towards him. Pikachu was executing his attack when Eevee made contact with him. Pikachu was sent stumbling backwards, where he slipped on the puddle of blood and sent his attack off course. Pikachu's bolts of electricity intended for Eevee landed right in the center of Ken's chest. Ken writhed and twitched as the electric current passed through him. After a few seconds he fell to the ground as I called Eevee back to my side of the gym floor as I stood up. Ken moaned loudly as he attempted to get up. He swore bitterly at Pikachu as he regained his footing and ordered Pikachu to use his Quick Attack to finish Eevee off. "Eevee," I said as I sat back down, "rip him up." Eevee bore his teeth and charged into battle for a second time. Pikachu got back up to the command of his trainer only to get tacked to the ground again and ravaged by Eevee's Bite attack. Pikachu called out in pain as Ken called angrily for Pikachu to get up and do as he was instructed. Pikachu's calls suddenly stopped as Eevee jerked his clamped jaws one last time. Pikachu was dead.

"Fuck!" screamed Ken. "If he would have only listened to me, this could have been avoided." He walked past the corpse of his dead Pikachu with a tear trickling down his cheek and approached me. As he got closer I could see his short brown hair and weasel-like nose. He was dressed in long black karate pants and his chest was bare but riddled with scars and burns, obviously from training. "Well, my friend," he started, his voice breaking, "I guess you've defeated me and earned this badge." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black sleeve. Out of it he pulled a pin bearing resemblance to a bolt of electricity. "Now, if you'll allow me," he said as he pinned the badge to my trench coat. "There you go." He looked down at my knife that was still impaled in the ground. "What's that about?" he asked as he looked back up at me. "It was my father's," I began. "He gave it to me when I was six, the same day that he left my mother to take care of me." He looked at me, his expression not changing. "Hmm, that sucks; I never knew my father," he said with a sigh. "He died before I was born. Good riddance." I leaned down and picked my knife out of the ground and placed it back in my pocket as I spoke. "Yeah… good riddance."

As Eevee and I left, I heard Ken speak from behind us, "Do me a favor, eh?" I stopped and turned around. "When you see your father, give him a little pep from me." He tossed something in my direction that landed at my feet. I leaned down and put it in my pack. "That's a Revive. Use that when he thinks he's won. Surprise him a bit. Show him how his son is no quitter." I smiled and thanked him. "Good luck down the road, mate." I turned back around and headed towards the door. "If only my Pikachu were a little stronger. I'm going to miss having him around. He was a good fighter. That's a tough little trooper you got fighting for you." That's the first compliment I had ever received for Eevee's fighting style. I had noticed it too; Eevee was fighting more passionately than ever before. I couldn't have been more proud of him. I smiled as I looked down at him and opened the door to the pounding rain outside.

We returned to the Pokemon Center and Rachel recognized us as soon as we walked in. "Oh, if it isn't my two best friends, Eevee and Kirk. Oh, what happened here, Eevee?" she smiled, "Have you been fighting?" I looked down at Eevee and spoke, "He has, and quite well, I might add." Rachel laughed, "Well, people's Pokemon usually get beaten up like this whenever they challenge Ken. I just hope you didn't loose too badly." I emitted a small chuckle, "Actually, uh… we won." Rachel's face became very straight as she stared at me judgingly. "Don't joke, you'll embarrass Eevee," she said sternly. "I'm not joking. Am I bro?" I asked Eevee. Eevee called excitedly, "Vee vee!" Both Rachel and I laughed. "Well, Kirk, congratulations. Or should I say, Eevee? Now come on, little one, as I get you all cleaned up" I smiled as she bid me farewell to go clean up Eevee. I heard her laughing and Eevee calling happily as she spoke to him. Eevee must be beside himself, he's never got this kind of loving attention from anyone other than me. I ran my fingers through my hair as I lay down on the couch to the right of the counter. The next thing I knew, I was fast asleep.

-- End of Chapter Two --


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